3.A.40 Technical Foul – A referee’s assessment of a serious rule or behavioral violation. that results in one point being removed from the score of the offending team unless their score is zero, in which case a point shall be added to the score of the opposing side. A technical foul shall be issued if one technical warning has already been given and a second technical warning is warranted; or when warranted by a player’s or team’s action, based on the referee’s judgement. For the purposes of determining game or match forfeits, a Technical Foul counts twice as much as a Technical Warning.

3.A.41 Technical Warning – A referee’s first verbal warning of a rule or behavioral violation given to a player or team prior to a technical foul being issued. Points are not awarded for a technical warning.

4F. Scoring. A singles player or doubles team scores points only when serving. Points may also be scored when technical fouls are called against the opposing side

• 1G.2. Technical Fouls - The referee is empowered to call technical fouls. When a technical foul is called, one point shall be removed from the score of the offending team unless their score is zero, in which case, a point shall be added to the score of the opposing side. Actions or behavior that shall result in a technical foul (without a technical warning being issued beforehand):

13.G.3.c. If a referee issues a technical foul, one point shall be removed from the score of the offending team unless their score is zero, in which case a point shall be added to the score of the opposing side. After the point is removed or awarded, the player or team losing or awarded the point must move on their own to the correct position(s) that reflects their score. (Delete this rule)

3.A.40 Technical Foul – A referee’s assessment of a rule or behavioral violation that results in one point being removed from the score of the offending team unless their score is zero, in which case a point shall be added to the score of the opposing side. A technical foul shall be issued if one technical warning has already been given and a second technical warning is warranted; or when warranted by a player’s or team’s action, based on the referee’s judgement.

3.A.41 Technical Warning – A referee’s first verbal warning of a rule or behavioral violation given to a player or team prior to a technical foul being issued. Points are not awarded for a technical warning.

4F. Scoring. A singles player or doubles team scores points only when serving. Points may also be scored when technical fouls are called against the opposing side.

• 1G.2. Technical Fouls - The referee is empowered to call technical fouls. When a technical foul is called, one point shall be removed from the score of the offending team unless their score is zero, in which case, a point shall be added to the score of the opposing side. Actions or behavior that shall result in a technical foul (without a technical warning being issued beforehand):

13.G.3.c. If a referee issues a technical foul, one point shall be removed from the score of the offending team unless their score is zero, in which case a point shall be added to the score of the opposing side. After the point is removed or awarded, the player or team losing or awarded the point must move on their own to the correct position(s) that reflects their score.

Referees’ use of the Technical Warning (TW) and Technical Foul (TF) during tournament matches is the method utilized to penalize players for certain rule infractions.  This penalty phase of rule infractions is common to most sports such as football, hockey and basketball to name a few.

Whether we continue to use the current penalty system associated with a technical foul in pickleball or change to the pro-player recommendation,  the official game score is altered.  I believe this should never be the case.  Once a point is earned through on-court play, the earned point remains.  Likewise, the rules should not be written as to award a point to a team that they did not earn through their own on-court play.

In either case, the current rules or pro-player recommendation, necessitates that the team (or individual in singles) official score be altered without any on-court player doing anything associated with game play.  If such a rule were imposed on basketball, then when a player commits a personal foul their team would lose a point or on the other hand the non-offending team would automatically be granted a point.  Of course that does not happen, a free throw attempt is awarded to the non-offending team.  In football, does a personal foul for a late hit automatically result in the addition or remove points.  Again, no points but the ball is moved making it easier or harder to score points.  Soccer provides a great example in that a player red card (ejection) does not grant a goal, instead it grants a penalty kick giving the non-offending team an opportunity to earn a goal.  The awarding or removal of points in each example seem totally ridiculous to fans.  Why is that – it is a matter of fair play, you only get a point if you earn it and once earned you keep it.  You are never allowed to change the official score based upon players’ behavior.  All of these sports have other means to enforce rule infractions.  So why does pickleball change the official score based upon a rule infraction?

We already have options available to us by which we can penalize rule infractions, which may result in a game or match forfeiture.  Therefore, I suggest that we remove rule 13.G.3.c so that we do not alter the official score based on rule infractions.